Xu Mengdie smiled gently, her eyes somewhat reddened: “Yes, it’s better to see things clearly sooner rather than later. Fourth Young Madam, if you don’t mind, please visit the South Courtyard more often. These next few days, Mengdie probably won’t be able to get out of bed.”
No matter how magnanimous someone was, it was truly rare to remain so gentle after losing a child. Shen Guiyan was very curious in her heart, but now wasn’t the appropriate time to ask more questions. She could only nod: “I’ll come keep you company often.”
Madam Gu stood up: “Since no one is pursuing this, then let it be. We’ll just say the servants in the South Courtyard were negligent in their service and the mistress accidentally consumed aloe. When the master returns, I’ll ask for his judgment on the matter.”
Xu Mengdie lowered her eyes and nodded: “Thank you for troubling yourself, Madam.”
“Just focus on recovering,” Madam Gu waved her hand. This room still had the inauspicious air of blood and wasn’t suitable for lingering.
“Madam, take care,” Xu Mengdie propped herself up slightly, watching as Madam Gu turned to leave. Shen Guiya followed behind, gave her a few glances, then also walked out.
“Fourth Young Madam, remember to come keep Mengdie company.” Just as Shen Guiyan was about to follow them out, she heard Xu Mengdie say this softly.
Slightly surprised, she turned back to meet those eyes full of sincerity. Shen Guiyan smiled reluctantly, nodded, then lowered her eyes and turned to leave.
The women in this residence all seemed rather strange.
Since the South Courtyard matter wasn’t being pursued, all the courtyards dispersed. Gu Chaonan seemed to have something to say to Gu Chaobei, so Shen Guiyan tactfully said: “I’ll head back to my room first.”
“Mm.” Gu Chaobei nodded, then smiled: “It’s almost dawn. You have my permission to sleep in—no need to wake early.”
Shen Guiyan smiled, took Baoshan with her to bid farewell, and left.
“What’s Concubine Xu’s background?” Walking along the path, Shen Guiyan asked softly.
Baoshan looked around, then like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, began talking: “Concubine Xu is the daughter of the owner of Xu’s Silk Shop in Jiangnan. Her family is quite well-off. Because Master Xu wanted to do business in the capital, he introduced Concubine Xu to the Second Young Master. The Second Young Master liked her very much and took her as a concubine.”
“When this servant was chatting with others, I heard that Concubine Xu, like the Second Young Master, is quite popular in the residence. She’s kind to people and never punishes servants. Although her background isn’t particularly high, she still won the Prime Minister’s favor. Before the Fifth Miss married in, she was the one helping Madam manage the accounts.”
Shen Guiyan nodded and asked again: “Has she never had conflicts with anyone?”
“No,” Baoshan said. “When Concubine Xu is mentioned in the residence, there’s nothing but praise. Originally, if she had given birth to this child, she could have been elevated to proper wife status. Who knew such an accident would happen now…”
Kind to everyone, never made enemies—so she was an innocent fish caught in the net? Shen Guiyan frowned slightly. Could Shen Guiya truly be unable to tolerate her to this extent? Even dragging innocent people into it?
With a soft sigh, Shen Guiyan returned to the courtyard to change clothes and go to bed. But before dawn, she got up again and instructed Jiang Shi to help her prepare nourishing soup.
Jiang Shi frowned slightly: “The bird’s nest soup merely passed through our North Courtyard and still caused trouble. You’re still sending nourishing soup over?”
Shen Guiyan nodded: “An upright person need not fear shadows. I’ll watch over it personally and deliver it myself. What could possibly go wrong?”
“Mm.” Jiang Shi turned her head away, looking at the stove, her expression not good: “The Prime Minister has already given up on the Fourth Young Master—didn’t even intend for him to take the examinations for an official position. Now that Madam has just married in and there’s constant turmoil, the Prime Minister’s impression is probably even worse. Our days are getting harder and harder.”
Shen Guiyan was stunned. Were the North Courtyard’s days difficult? She hadn’t noticed—perhaps because she had just arrived?
“The master is really something too. The new imperial examinations are coming soon, but he hasn’t a single thought about them,” Jiang Shi said with a furrowed brow. “The First Young Master will certainly achieve top honors this year, the Second Young Master already has an official position so there’s no worry, but our master is still a commoner. Madam, when you have time, you should also advise him—tell the master to stop fooling around outside. He’s not young anymore and should have some accomplishments.”
Make Gu Chaobei study books like Gu Chaodong? Shen Guiyan thought about that scoundrel swaying his head while holding a book, and couldn’t help but shudder. She laughed: “Rather than having him study, I think warhorses and spears suit him better. That scoundrel is suited for the martial path, not the scholarly one.”
Jiang Shi looked at her disapprovingly: “Does Madam hope the master will go to war? Not seeing each other for eight or ten years—what would we do?”
Shen Guiyan was at a loss for words. She was just thinking aloud—she hadn’t actually insisted Gu Chaobei join the military.
When the nourishing soup was ready, Shen Guiyan personally ladled it out. Jiang Shi was still muttering: “Now that he’s married, he should be more restrained. Just after the wedding, he’s already disappeared without a trace…”
He really was someone who made people worry. Shen Guiyan carried the nourishing soup to the South Courtyard, still thinking along the way that a whole courtyard of beautiful women should have been able to rely on Gu Chaobei and act coquettishly toward him, yet he had managed to make them all so worried about his future. This showed just how unreliable that fellow was in daily life.
Shuang’er stood at the South Courtyard entrance. Seeing Shen Guiyan approaching from afar, she came forward with a smile: “Thank you for personally bringing this, Fourth Young Madam.”
Shen Guiyan handed her the nourishing soup with a smile: “I said I’d come see your mistress. I didn’t have anything else, so I made soup.”
“Fourth Young Madam is so thoughtful,” Shuang’er said, holding the medicinal soup and slowing her steps. She said softly: “Yesterday was chaotic, and this servant also wanted to seek justice for my mistress. If there was any offense toward the Fourth Young Madam, please forgive me, Madam.”
Shen Guiyan waved her hand: “What offense? Your mistress was wronged after all.”
Shuang’er sighed: “If only everyone was as reasonable as you. My mistress wouldn’t have to… Ah, Fourth Young Madam, please come in.”
Seeing her expression full of words left unsaid, Shen Guiyan understood. She waved at Baoshan behind her, indicating the two should go outside to talk. Then she took the medicinal soup herself and went into the room to find Xu Mengdie.
Xu Mengdie was leaning against the bed. Her face had been tidied up and wasn’t as pale as yesterday, though she was still very weak. Seeing Shen Guiyan, her eyes showed some joy: “Fourth Young Madam.”
Shen Guiyan placed the medicinal soup by her hand and said softly: “It’s just the right temperature. You can drink it now.”
“Thank you.” Xu Mengdie glanced at the medicinal soup. Without having anyone test it, she picked it up and drank it all. Between her brows and eyes was complete trust in her.
Shen Guiyan raised her eyebrows slightly. She had felt something strange yesterday, and today that strange feeling was even stronger. She had never met this Xu Mengdie before—why did Xu Mengdie look at her with such familiarity?
“The moment Mengdie saw Madam, I felt we’ve known each other forever,” Xu Mengdie smiled and spoke first. “I wonder if Madam feels the same?”
Known each other forever? Shen Guiyan laughed dryly, wanting very much to say no. But seeing Xu Mengdie’s complete sincerity, she nodded: “Perhaps we have some affinity.”
“Fourth Young Madam just arrived at this residence, and it seems you’ve attracted the attention of petty people,” Xu Mengdie lowered her eyes. “How Mengdie lost her child—Mengdie knows clearly in her heart. The reason I said not to pursue it yesterday was because if we pursued it, they wouldn’t let us have any peace either.”
Shen Guiyan was shocked to hear this. Xu Mengdie knew how the child was lost? Why did these words make her back feel cold? And who were “they”?
“It’s rare for someone with such pure intentions as Madam to come to this residence. Mengdie won’t let Madam suffer losses,” Xu Mengdie held her hand. “You are destined for great wealth and honor. You absolutely cannot be harmed by petty people’s schemes.”
“…” Shen Guiyan smiled, her face somewhat stiff. Hearing these words, she felt bewildered. Had Xu Mengdie been possessed by something after losing her child? Why did she speak so strangely?
“Do you want to rest for a bit?” Shen Guiyan asked.
Xu Mengdie secretly pinched herself and sighed: “Mengdie was too eager and probably frightened the Fourth Young Madam. Madam can just pretend Mengdie said nothing. There’s plenty of time ahead.”
“…Mm.” Shen Guiyan had originally wanted to come chat with her, because people who lose children are more or less sad, and it would be good to offer some comfort. But now, Shen Guiyan just wanted to run away.
After sitting for a while, Shen Guiyan found an excuse to leave. Xu Mengdie didn’t press her to stay, but gave her a pouch of luminous powder.
“Fourth Young Madam should carry this with you at all times—it’s best to even keep it with you while sleeping,” Xu Mengdie said. “It can ward off petty people.”
Shen Guiyan accepted it and placed it in her sleeve. Coming out, she heard Baoshan say: “This servant heard many little secrets.”
“What secrets?” Shen Guiyan frowned.
Baoshan moved closer and said in a low voice: “This is really something. That girl Shuang’er pulled me aside and told me many things, all concerning the Fifth Miss.”
Shen Guiya?
Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together and said softly: “Did she say Guiya was hostile toward Mengdie, and that the child was most likely harmed by Guiya?”
Baoshan’s eyes widened: “Miss, you heard?”
“I didn’t hear,” Shen Guiyan shook her head, but she could guess.
Shen Guiya and Xu Mengdie had conflicts of interest, so naturally she wouldn’t speak well of the other. But what surprised her was that on the surface, she and Shen Guiya were sisters, and these past few days they had appeared to have good feelings for each other. How did Xu Mengdie dare to speak so boldly about Shen Guiya’s faults in front of her?
Could she have seen through the discord between the two sisters?
Touching her chin thoughtfully, despite having barely communicated with her, Xu Mengdie could see through these matters—she could be considered a perceptive person. A five-month-old child—it really was a pity to lose it.
“Yan’er.”
Just as she reached the garden, she heard the voice she least wanted to hear.
When Shen Guiyan married in, she was prepared that she would inevitably run into Gu Chaodong constantly. But at least now their identities were different. For Gu Chaodong to still call her so tenderly was quite bold.
“I said before, Elder Brother should just call me Fourth Sister-in-law,” Shen Guiyan stopped and looked up at him. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Yan… Fourth Sister-in-law,” Gu Chaodong nervously blocked her path, his eyes full of pain. “Is it so difficult to speak a few more words with me?”